Nap patterns of children in kindergartens and childcare transit facility: a study in northern Peninsular Malaysia.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare the duration of sleep and nap patterns between children in private kindergartens and those in a -transit facility, in Malaysia.

METHODS

The sleep duration of children aged 3-6, who attended either a kindergarten or a childcare transit facility (-transit in Malay) was investigated. Observational sleeping records were maintained for 24 hours, over 14 consecutive days. A self-administered questionnaire for caregivers investigated the children's lifestyles. Naps were optional at kindergartens but mandatory at the -transit.

RESULTS

Of 35 participating children, data from 33 were analyzed. All respondents belonged to the Malay ethnicity, with 16 boys (48.5%) and 17 girls (51.5%). The average age of the children was 5.4 years; 11 of them were from kindergartens and 22 from a -transit. The children slept longer and woke up later on weekends than on weekdays. There was a significant difference in the naptaking rate between the two groups; it was 100% in the -transit, and 30% in the kindergartens during weekdays. However, on weekends, 19 of 22 - transit children did not nap on any of the days (86.4%). The kindergarten group's naps showed no outstanding differences between weekdays and weekends. Concerning the bedtime and wake-up times, no differences were found between the two groups.

DISCUSSION

During weekdays, all children in the -transit took naps, whereas one-third of them did in the kindergartens. Larger study is needed to assess how this mandatory napping style affects children's lifestyle and development.